


Safety Net

by FatherIimaginedyoutaller



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman and Robin (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Robin: Son of Batman (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Love, Child Death, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:15:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29543643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FatherIimaginedyoutaller/pseuds/FatherIimaginedyoutaller
Summary: Slight AU where Dick is a social worker instead of a cop, and he fails to get a girl out of an abusive home before it's too late.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne
Kudos: 38





	Safety Net

**Author's Note:**

> Tw: child welfare, mentions of child abuse and child death.

Richard hadn’t been responding to his calls.

That was the main thought in his head as Damian swung from building to building as he entered Bludhaven, he mapped his ruote in his head as he got closer and closer to his brother’s apartment. 

He finally arrived at the avenue Richard lived in and saw the building; he stood on the roof of the building in front of his brother’s, he could see the window of Dick’s house was turned on, which was weird because his brother usually maintained a healthy lifestyle which included going to bed early. Pretty boring if you asked him. 

He took his grappling hook and used it to impulse himself to Richard’s window, he landed on his feet on the cornice and then did a backflip to the inside.

“Richard?” Damian took off his Robin domino mask and looked at the man looking blankly at the wall on his couch.

The boy frowned in confusion. “What happened?” Dick didn’t answer, only stayed still.

Damian walked through the room and stood in front of Richard, who upon closer inspection looked like he had been crying.

Dick finally stopped looking blankly and looked up at his brother “She died.”

Damian frowned in confusion.“What?”

Richard sighed and put his hand on his face:“...Erica, the little kid I was supposed to take into custody, her...her father beat her to death”

The boy’s eyes widened.

“I wasn’t fast enough.” Dick stated

Damian gasped “Richard-

“I should have put more pressure onto the higher ups for them to let me take her.” he said

“Richard-

“It’s all my fault”

“Grayson!” Damian finally snapped and yelled. “This isn’t your fault.”

“You don’t understand, Damian, I knew what that...monster was doing to her” Tears started to spill from his eyes. “I could have dressed up and saved her from him but for some reason I decided not to? I just...trusted that this would turn out well at the end? I’m just as guilty.”

“Don’t you dare say that,”Damian said “You are not the same as that man, you were actively trying to prevent this from happening and you trusted the system to do what it’s supposed to do.”

“Exactly!” Dick gesticulated and yelled. “Me, of all people should know that the system is broken, that I can’t trust the police, or my own colleagues on the Social Services to do their fucking job but-

Dick’s voice cracked:

“But I still somehow had some hope that things would turn out fine and now a little girl is dead because of that.

Dick broke down and fell onto the floor from the couch, crying with his face on his hands.

Damian stayed still looking at the man, trying to come up with something to say that could magically and instantly make everything better, but he knew that was impossible.

All he could think of doing was going to the man, kneeling down and to hug his brother for dear life. Until everything passed. 

“She was not even five years old.” Dick said softly. Damian clumsily shushed him.

“You did something, Richard” There. That was fine. It wasn’t something empty like “you did everything you could” but “You did something”. “You didn’t just stay with your arms crossed while someone was being abused...you actually got off your ass and did something.”

“But it wasn’t enough” He looked up at his brother.

The boy challenged him: “How many little children have you saved ever since you started off as a social worker?”

“Damian-

“Answer the question.”

Dick shrugged. “I’m not sure, it’s been like what? Ten years?

“Ten years Richard, that’s a lot of kids and families that you have helped” Damian stated.

“You don’t understand, Damian” “Ever since I took this job, I didn’t always...played by the book, sometimes I would …’get help’ from Nightwing”

“So? That only proves me right”

“No, because by getting help from Nightwing, I’m admitting that the system is broken, that I will always need a caped crusader to help me and that when I’m too proud to admit that I do...this happens” Dick explained. “I can’t allow myself to fail.”  
Damian sighed, he knew how stubborn his brother could be with this stuff, but so was he, he wouldn’t leave until he could make Richard feel better.

“Perhaps I should quit the job.” Richard said.

Damian’s eyes widened in shock and his frown deepened: “No.”

Dick sighed tiredly: “Damian.”

“No, listen to me, you can’t quit being a social worker” the boy pressed his brother’s face with his hands. “If you quit...then it would do more harm than good.”

“Listen, when you took me in I was...broken,” Damian closed his eyes. “I had been groomed ever since I was born to be a weapon by my grandfather and I wouldn’t have survived in the real world if it weren’t for you. I would have lost myself.”

“If you quit being a social worker, then what happens to other kids that aren’t like me? Kids who aren’t going to be picked up one day and be sent to a family that actually loves them? This will only cause more Ericas.”

Damian opened his eyes and looked at Dick’s.

“You can’t quit, because you are Richard Grayson, you are a beacon of hope, anyone who knows you can tell you that.”

“The people need you, the kids need you.”

Damian let go of Richard, the man was looking at him dumbfounded, still processing what his brother had told him. The boy was startled when Nightwing hugged him and kissed his forehead.

“Thank you, Dami.” He whispered into his ear.

Damian rolled his eyes af is to keep his facade “You’re welcome, Richard.”

Dick pulled away, smiled at Damian and ruffled his hair.

“You’re my safety net, Damian, do you know that?”

“I mean,” Damian looked down “ even if I wasn’t around you would still have a support system.”

Still, thanks, Little D”


End file.
